Pinellas School Board chairwoman files for re-election

Pinellas County School Board chairwoman Rene Flowers is the first incumbent board member to file for re-election in August.

Flowers, who filed her election paperwork Tuesday, said she wanted to wait until the new year -- and after her work wrapped up on St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman’s campaign -- to announce her candidacy.

"I like what I’m doing," she said Wednesday. "I want to see our progress continue with our students. I want to see relationships continue to grow with students and staff. ...I love where I am."

Flowers’ District 7 includes most of St. Petersburg and Gulfport. She faces opponents Shyla Sams and Nick Wright, who has served as vice president of the St. Petersburg branch of the NAACP.

Four out of seven School Board seats are up for election this year.

Former Tarpon Springs Vice Mayor and Pasco teacher Jeff Larsen and Seminole Middle teacher David Schneck have filed to run for Terry Krassner’s District 2 at-large seat, a countywide race. Krassner said she doesn’t want to deal with campaigning until June.

Former state congressman and Countryside High teacher Carl Zimmermann is facing off against former Pinellas County Schools administrator Nicole Carr for Peggy O’Shea’s District 3 at-large seat. O’Shea said she plans to run.

No one has filed for Linda Lerner’s District 6 seat, which stretches from south county beaches over parts of Seminole and Pinellas Park to the Gandy Bridge. Lerner said in a December interview that she has not decided if she’ll run for an eighth term.

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